David Marshall

1937 - 2023

David Marshall
September 25, 1937 - January 9, 2023
Houston, Texas - David Marshall, Sr., 85, departed this life on Monday, January 9, 2023. A funeral service was held at Walls Chapel AME Zion Church, where he was a faithful member for over 50 years, on January 16, 2023. A second funeral was held on Saturday, January 21, 2023, at the Chapel of Charles E. Huff's International Funeral Home, Inc. His interment was in Porterdale Cemetery.
On September 25, 1937, David was born to Freeman and Carrie Marshall in the beautiful southern city of Columbus, Georgia. He was taught the Gospel story and accepted Jesus Christ as his Savior. He was baptized in the Green Hill Missionary Baptist Church, where he began his Christian journey of commitment and service. David was a proud graduate of the 1957 Class of Spencer High School. After graduating from high school, he was drafted into the United States Army and was honorably discharged from the Army in December 1957.
David returned to Georgia, and it was in his place of nativity where he was catapulted into a prolific historic, professional career. David joined Afro-American Life Insurance Company, which was headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida. His concern for the health and well-being of the disenfranchised pressed him to go door to door educating the Black community on the necessity of owning health and life insurance and providing them with an affordable plan. He committed himself to this level of door-to-door dedication throughout the southern states of Georgia, Alabama, and Florida.
In 1969 he was transferred to Houston, Texas to become the District Manager of Afro-American Life Insurance Company. In the late 1970's, Afro-American Life Insurance sold its practice to Universal Life Insurance Company, another Black-owned company. During his tenure with Universal, David managed company offices in Houston and Alexandria, Virginia. In October 1981, David Marshall attended the American College of Financial Services, where he became one of the first African Americans in the state of Texas to receive the Chartered Life Underwriter Certification (CLU).
In 1996 David was recruited by the Landmark Life Insurance Company based in Brownwood, Texas. It was a pivotal point in his life as this was his first employment unaffiliated with the Black insurance industry. David, as he had done in prior experiences, excelled. He opened Landmark's first Houston office. Moreover, he won the business of many African American customers and recruited many Black agents. After 54 years in the insurance industry, David Marshall retired in 2012.
He is survived by his wife of 55 years, Catherine; his daughters Valerie Marshall Williams (Rev. Dr. TR Williams Sr.) of Houston, TX; and Amelia Marshall (Daryl Waters) of New York, NY; his son David Marshall, Jr. of Bowie, MD; his sister Marguerite Lyles of Columbus, GA; his brother Issac Marshall of Columbus, GA, his grandson Kent Marshall Schaffer of New York, NY; his granddaughters Rosa Catherine Marshall and Cassandra Marie Marshall of Bowie, MD; his blended family includes granddaughter, Monique Williams, and grandsons, Ted Williams, Jr (Tarkitha), and Lance Williams (Muriel), all of Houston, TX. Others who will mourn him are his nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.